Uptown’s newest cafe

Tartine (7217 Perrier St, near Pine, just outside the old Uptown Square shopping center) opened a few weeks ago, tucked away near Audubon Park and the Mississippi River.  The diminutive cafe is a few steps from Broadway, run by pastry chef Cara Benson.  Tartine’s short menu of sandwiches & salads is jam-packed with carefully conceived dishes and quality ingredients, focusing on made-in-house breads, desserts, and savory treats like pate and pork rilettes.

Pictured above is the roasted turkey sandwich, filled with gruyere, avocado, and butter lettuce on a honey-wheat bun.  At right is the tuna nicoise sandwich (also available as a salad), which showcases an excellent brioche sandwich roll.

Tartine’s sweet treats include $1 to-go cups of chocolate mousse, liberal samples of the day’s goodies (I sampled a smooth, delightful peanut butter/Nutella fudge), chocolate eclairs, creme brulee, and bread pudding (I swear, some sort of Orleans Parish ordinance must require every single eating establishment to offer bread pudding in some form; it’s everywhere from old-line Creole warhorses to ice cream shops to Italian joints).

The cafe’s namesake tartines (open-faced, baguette sandwiches) bulge with toppings like the aforementioned pate and rilettes.  Each sandwich arrives on an oblong plate, supported by a vinagrette-napped bean salad and a few pickles (variously, cornichons, watermelon rind, sweet dill slices).

I haven’t yet visited Tartine for breakfast, but the thought of quiches and eggs baked in brioche is almost enough to make me get up early.  I’m looking forward to eating my way through the rest of the menu…it’s within walking distance of my office, or at least it will be once the weather cools off.